the blog of LAKE, the Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange

Citizen dialog for transparent process

LCC 11 October 2011

Tuesday, 29 November 2011

I repeatedly apologized to County Planner Jason Davenport
about an earlier misunderstanding about the
"public hearing" agenda item, which the Chairman stated was not really
a public hearing and for which no citizens were allowed to speak:

7.b. Greater Lowndes 2030 Comprehensive Plan Updates - Lowndes County Report of Accomplishments (ROA) and Short Term Work Program (STWP)

Then I said:

Transparent government is totally what my heart is about.
And I think that people trust the government more when we can see
the business done in public.
And I really appreciate when you do things in public and you ask questions
in the work sessions so everybody can hear.

The lone citizen to be heard, Gretchen Quarterman, thanked commissioners
for their observance of open government and apologized to County Planner
Jason Davenport for things she said to him prior to the meeting, due to
a “misunderstanding,” she said.

After the meeting adjourned, Chairman Ashley Paulk apologized to me in public

However, citizens were not invited to speak for or against the document.
In fact, the document was not provided to the citizens for comment and an
open records request for the document has not been satisfied by the county.
Here is
video of items 7a and 7b.

Wednesday, 26 October 2011

Without discussion, the Lowndes County Commissioners at their regular
meeting two weeks ago on 11 October 2011. approved an intergovernmental
agreement with South Georgia Medical Center to guarantee more than $100
million in bonds, for expansion of SGMC facilities, to include 96 new
private rooms in the Dasher Heart Center, the 5 story parking deck,
now under construction and due to be completed in early 2012, and Life
Safety and Generator Equipment updates.

If one had not been at the work session and heard
the presentation at their work session the day before,
one would have no idea what this agenda item was about,
since the Commission does not post such presentations anywhere the public
can see them.
Fortunately, LAKE was there and videoed it.